New Recipes

I had to share some of the new recipes I have been playing with this last few weeks.

I went to my side of the families Easter celebration on Sunday and fell in love with a Grape Salad my sweet cousin Shannon had made. It was really pretty in a glass dish with the green and purple grapes coated in a creamy white sauce.

I decided to look for it on-line and as usual, I added my own little touch to the recipe. This was a HIT at my house. My husband was immediately won over by the dish.

Here is my version:

Creamy Fruit Salad

3 cups of sliced fruit of your choice.

( I used red grapes, gala apples, bananas and oranges)

1 pkg. of cream cheese, softened

1 c. of sour cream

1/2 c. sugar

Topping:

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 - 1 c. pecans

Stir the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar together. Then fold in the fruit. You can decide if you want more or less as you stir it together.

Mix the topping together and pour over the salad. Chill and let sit for a few hours or overnight.

*We ate this right away so the brown sugar had not caramelized yet. By the next day it was unbelievable. The oranges were voted out right away. :)

Lemon Pound Cake

1 c. butter, softened

3 c. flour

3/4 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. lemon peel

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 c. sugar

5 eggs.

Lemon Glaze

1/4 c. lemon juice

2-3 c. powdered sugar ( may need more or less.. I didn't actually measure this.)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. milk

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans OR a bundt pan is lovely, too.

In a small bowl combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and lemon peel.

In another bowl mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.

In your mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add the liquid and dry ingredients alternately. Do not over mix.

Divide batter evenly between pans. Or pour entire bowl into a bundt pan.

Bake 50-60 min. Cool in pan and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before you put the glaze on.

Pour the glaze over the cake and let it run down the sides. It makes such a nice looking and fresh tasting desert. We really enjoyed this.

I would put a little more lemon in the cake than I did originally because it wasn't as "lemony" as I thought it could be. The frosting, actually needed to decrease the amount of lemon juice. The recipe here reflects that change.

Both my girls made a dish to pass this weekend. It was so fun to have them working alongside of me in the kitchen willing to bless someone else with the fruits of their labor. One took S'mores bars and the other took cookie pops. ( Cookies on Popsicle sticks that look like lollipops) which she frosted and decorated for the event. :)

S'mores Brownie Bars

( we found this recipe at www.seriouseats.com)

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1/2 c. plus 1 TB sugar

Salt

1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

2 large eggs

1 tsp. instant coffee

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

3 c. mini marshmallows

Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preaheat ove to 350.

Line an 8 in. pan with 2 pieces of foil enough to hang over the edges.

Break graham crackers up into small/fine pieces. Melt 4 TB. butter. Add melted butter, 1 Tb. sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt to the crackers and press into the bottom of the pan.

Melt chocolate and remaining butter. ( microwave 1-2 min. stopping every so often to stir it) Cool for 10 min.

Mix in remaining 1/2 c. sugar, eggs, espresso powder, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add the flour and baking powder and mix well.

Pour batter on top of crust. Bake 25-30 min. Do not overbake.

Top with Marshmallows. Broil till brown only a minute or 2. Watch it and stay close. They burn easy. :) ( we know from experience and the burnt marshmallows come off easy but it was by grace we had any extra to "redo".)

*These were a HUGE hit! Everyone who loves s'mores will love this.

My Friend Michelle's Desert!

My friend brought this to a meeting recently and she dubbed the name above. :) It is a quick and easy desert that you can make quickly.

Graham Crackers

2 3 oz. boxes of french vanilla pudding

3 c. cold milk

1 container of cool whip

chocolate frosting

Mix the pudding and fold in cool whip.

Layer graham crackers, pudding, crackers and pudding, with crackers on top.

Microwave 1 chocolate frosting container and spread on top.

Chill.

*Note... as usually happens when I want to make something I only have partial ingredients on hand. So.. here is my adaptation. :)

Pudding:

1 box of pudding

1/2 pkg of cream cheese

3/4 container of cool whip

2 c. milk

Whisk the pudding, milk and cream cheese together. Fold in the cool whip.

Chocolate:

unsweetened chocolate( about 5 squares)

whipping cream( about 1/2 cup)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 container of cool whip.

Melt the chocolate. Add some whipping cream and melt a little more. Then add the sugar and whisk. Add more whipping cream if it is too thick. Then fold in the cool whip. (YUMMMY! It is like fudge. )

Enjoy!! :)

Holiday Recipes

Here are my recipes from this year's celebrations.

Candy Cane Pie

1 c. cream

1/2 c. crushed candy canes

1 container of marshmallow creme

1 box of chocolate pudding

chocolate cookie wafers

2 Tbs. sugar

1/2 c. butter, melted

Mint chips ( I have used the mint meltaways that look like pastel kisses, or you can use the crumbled Andes Mints)

cool whip OR whipped cream sweetened with sugar.

First I made the crust. (You can also buy a premade chocolate graham crust if you want. ) Crush the wafers, mix in the sugar and pour melted butter over top. Press into the pie plate and bake for 8-10 min at 350 degrees. Cool Completely

Make the pudding according to the package directions. ( You could also make a layer of ganache if you want it really rich and chocolate-y.) Pour onto the pie crust and chill while you make the candy cane filling

Whip your cream till stiff. Add the finely crushed candy canes and stir till dissolved. Fold in the Marshmallow cream. Layer onto the chocolate layer.

Top with Cool Whip or Whipped Cream. Then add the mint chips on top. YUMMM !

I tried to find a recipe close to Baker's Square Candy Cane Pie.I am not sure I accomplished that but it was a wonderful desert. I got rave reviews from all who tried the new concoction.

Christmas Ribbon

1 lg. box red jello, your choice of flavor

1 lg. box green jello, ( most likely lime) :)

2/3 c. sour cream

5 c. boiling water

Place the jello ( whichever color you want to start with) in a bowl and pour 2 1/2 c. boiling water, stir till the jello is dissolved. Place 1 c. of the jello in a bowl and the rest of the jello in the dish you plan on serving the Christmas Ribbon in. * either a mold or a nice bowl or perhaps a 9x13 glass pan. You want to SEE the jello. :)

Place both containers in the refrigerator to chill. After about 30 min. take out the bowl with the 1 c. of jello, whisk 1/3 c. sour cream into the jello. Place back in refrigerator till slightly firm. By now your first layer should be ready to receive the next layer. Pour the sour cream jello on top of your first layer and put back in the refrigerator.

Now, dissolve the next flavor of jello. Pour into 2 separate bowls as in the first step. After 30 min, pour the larger portion of jello into the mold or serving dish. Whisk the remaining 1/3 c. of sour cream into the 1 cup of jello. Let set for 30 min. or till slightly firm. Pour on top of your other layers and chill till set through.

This takes ALL day to do but it is so yummy. I only make this at Christmas and everyone LOVES it.

Pizza Dip

1 brick of Cream Cheese

1/4 c. sour cream

1 jar of pizza sauce

pizza toppings: pepperoni, green peppers, onions, olives, etc.

Mozzarella cheese

Italian Spices

Mix the cream cheese and sour cream together with Italian spices. Spread in the bottom of a oven save dish. Spread the pizza sauce on top, then layer with toppings of your choice. Layer with the cheese. Place in your oven at 350 till cheese is melted and bubbling.

Those are 3 of my favorites this year.

We also had Cheesy Potatoes ( you can find these on my website in my recipes), Baked Corn,Fudge, and lots of pies. I was so pleased with the variation.

My husband's favorite is Pecan. It turned out the best.Then I made a pumpkin pie from pumpkin I cooked and froze this fall. ( so fun and easy!) I will share that recipe soon. Along with a Custard, my favorite. Lots of yummy appetizers like Dill Cucumber Sandwiches and my daughter insisted on the dried beef and dill pickle combo. She was too funny, but it was her addition to the day, along with Orange Jello...which turned out to be the favorite.

That and my bread ( also in my recipes)along side a beautiful Ham and Smoked Turkey. My brother brought his smoker down and we smoked a turkey on Christmas Even. It was delicious.

Blessings to you!

Creative Suppers!

One of my passions is being creative in my kitchen. I rarely go out and buy a lot of supplies that I will only use once. Typically, my creativity comes from using what I have. So, that means when I find a recipe that I would like to try, I usually have to switch a few things around. :)

I also love to be able to find ways to use something more than once. For instance:

I had to make some food to take to our church this week. I made a huge pot of Cheesy Mashed Potatoes. When I cook for others I try to make enough to serve both my family and those I am serving. It makes it so much easier to cook once and my husband really appreciates that. :)

While boiling the potatoes I use chicken broth ( water + bullion) to give it some extra flavor. When the potatoes were done, rather than throw the broth away, I put it in the crock pot with my roast.

That day we had many errands to run so we were off by 10:00 am, not to be back till after 2:00 pm. We came home to a wonderful aroma of roast pork. The chicken broth made it so tender and moist.

When the roast was done I drained the liquid off the meat,cut off the fat, cut out the bones and began to shred the meat. It went back into the crock pot. I added garlic, salt, pepper,rosemary, thyme and oregano. I also added some water and a little olive oil. Turned the heat on low and waited, anxiously till supper.

It was superb! We had roast pork, cheesy mashed potatoes and baked beans along with a delicious macaroni salad.


There was quite a bit of meat left over after our supper. :) Hooray! That is my favorite thing to work with. Sometimes, I will make a stew or soup with my left over roast, or maybe a yummy pot pie. A simmered BBQ made with shredded roast, is absolutely divine. ( especially served on some home made rolls) :)


Yesterday I took my left over shredded roast pork and made fajitas! They were awesome! I love when I can throw a meal together in minutes and it is absolutely scrumptious.

Here are my recipes! Enjoy!!

Roast Pork

1 3-5 lb. pork roast

2-3 c. chicken broth

Water

Seasonings to taste:

I used salt,pepper, thyme, rosemary, oregano, garlic

Olive Oil.

Place roast in crock pot; add chicken broth. Cook till done ( I had mine on high for about 6 hours.) When cooked through, remove meat. Cut off fat, bones, any extras you don't want in your dish. Discard the broth. ( if you want you can save back a little of the liquid to keep in the meat) Shred the meat and place back into the crock pot.

Add water( this keeps the meat moist and keeps it from burning) a little olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Cook till heated through.

Serve with any of your favorite toppings, on buns or just as it is. My husband loves to drizzle BBQ sauce on top.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

8-10 potatoes, peeled and diced

water to cover ( I add chicken bullion to the water approx 1 cube per cup)

Cook till done. Mash potatoes but do not add milk or butter to the potatoes.

Add 1/2 c. chopped onion. ( I use minced onion with great success)

Melt 1/4 c. butter, 1 c. sour cream and 1-2 c. cheddar cheese( I use Velveeta) Add to the potatoes, mixing well.

Put in a casserole dish and bake for 30 min. on 350.

Macaroni Salad

1-2 c. macaroni

1-2 cucumbers

1 c. cubed Colby cheese

1 tomato, diced

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp vinegar

Cook macaroni according to directions. Chop vegetables and set aside.

Mix the mayo, sugar and vinegar. Mix the noodles, veggies and cheese together with the dressing. Chill before eating.

Shredded Pork Fajitas

2 c. shredded pork

1/4 c. lime juice

1 Tb. olive oil

1 green pepper, sliced ( adding red is a lovely touch too)

1 onion sliced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

Pepper

1 can stewed tomatoes

In a skillet, saute vegetables and add the meat, along with the lime juice, olive oil and seasonings. Add the stewed tomatoes last and heat through.

Serve on warm tortillas with sour cream and guacamole. :) yumm!

Fruit Dip, Scones and using what you have

Good Morning!

It is a humid and muggy day here. I love it though. I love this season of summer. It reminds me of how the seasons of our lives reflect different stages of our walk with the Lord. Summer is a time of resting, enjoying the beauty of the Lord, delving into His presence and relishing the varied scents of of His majesty in a new way every day.

I am trying to train myself to set a schedule this summer. Then I can be more effective at training my children. It seems, though, that as the Lord teaches me and I am a more diligent student it is at that place where my children learn. They learn alongside of me more often than with me as the dutiful and well-learned master.

I have purposed to bless my husband and my children by trying harder to be more structured, have more of a schedule and not "fly by the seat of my pants" quite so much. Though, that is my personality and I seem to thrive on some spontaneity. Key word... SOME. :)

So each day is a day to work with what I have at hand. I want to stretch the resources and be a good steward. Be a diligent and faithful steward of my time, our finances, our supplies, etc. My goal is to learn to be joyful in the sometimes seemingly boring and dutiful task of keeping a home with a happy heart. ( Note: it is important to keep a home in diligence but I am being completely real that at times I find myself less content and I need to be reminded of the supreme privilege of being a mother and a wife and keeping a home for His Glory.) :)

"A wise woman looks well int the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up, and call her blessed: her husband also, and he praises her." Proverbs 31:27-28

I love Proverbs 31! I long to be a woman of virtue and character that shines with the attributes of this Godly woman. Verse 26 reminds us that when she opens her mouth , it is done in wisdom and kindness is on her tongue. God's Word is so vital in maintaining a heart of grace seasoned with love. There is no limit to his grace, there is no tank which can hold the depth of His love. That His grace and love would be the starting point of my day would be my diligent decision.

So I am learning to be a maintainer of my home, but to also be a life giver. Peter told the lame man that he would give him what he had, though it was not of a visible help in the temporary sense.... it was of deep eternal value.(Acts 3:6) He gave him the life that came through a revelation of Jesus. What do I truly have? I have time.. I have words... I have truth in my heart that needs to be taught to my children. I have a hope of a life that is found in eternal beauty and a blessing of fellowship with like-minded women who lift me up and remind me of God's call in my life.

Sometimes when I take my focus off of His purpose I find myself in the valley of doubt and despair. One that takes me the opposite direction of His plan for me. When I openly embrace Him, then it means I must also embrace His plan. After years of walking with the Lord I am ever amazed at the depth of His love and patience. Yet, joyful in his faithfulness.

Do I despair over home maintenance and child-rearing?? Well, honestly yes, because I just have NO clue what I am doing most of the time. Yet in grace we are saved.. saved from our sin and our selfishness to a higher and more relevant status. In grace, I can come with what I have and lay it at the cross. Seeking His wisdom which is above all earthly wisdom and knowing that even in the mundane He is with me. He is teaching me, He is guiding me. He is healing hearts and training minds for Kingdom living. Though I don't enjoy the maintaining, there are so many other things I would enjoy, however, I appreciate the work, the result and the promise.

My sweet children deserve a life filled with good things, yet they live in a fallen world and at times I have to truly be firm and responsible, to be a mirror of God's Word. Training is not always enjoyable... it is usually hard, tiring and painful. Aha! the end result is worth it. I have to keep reminding myself the end result is a life full of Kingdom Glory. :)

So...my title is Fruit Dip, Scones and using what you have. What I typed flowed.. God always works that way with me, but wasn't my initial intention. I was going to write on using what you have in your pantry. :) ha!ha!

My fruit dip is so yummy that I had to share. I usually make it with Cream of Coconut but yesterday while having breakfast with a friend I made it with yogurt. Yumm!

Fruit Dip

Cream of Coconut

1 pkg of cream cheese, softened

1 container of cool whip

Whip together and chill before serving.

Alternate : Use your choice of yogurt in place of the cream of coconut. Yumm!

I have a very firm belief in using what I have to make something. If I find a recipe I like but don't have all the ingredients I improvise. There are times it doesn't turn out but more often than not.. it works.

I shared a scone recipe recently from Prairie Flower Farm ( http://www.prairieflowerfarm.blogspot.com/) called Coffeehouse Scones. It was a huge hit here. However, when I went to make it today, I didn't have sugar. So.. I improvised a little.


Here is the recipe I made today. It was yummy!

Honey Scones

2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c . butter

I put it all in my Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment. Note: I cut the butter in to small slices then added to the flour. I turned the mixer on till the mixture was crumbly.

In a measuring cup I added 3/4 c. buttermilk 1-2 tsp. vanilla ( I didn't measure I just poured it in) and 1/4 c. honey.

I took the bowl off the mixer, poured the liquid ingredients in and stirred till the ingredients were moistened.

It was a very wet dough that I couldn't knead as original directions had required. I decided to try it this way and instead of kneading, I poured into a pie plate and baked at 375 for about 30 min.

When done I whipped butter and honey together and put immediately the hot scones. Oh, my goodness! It was melting in my mouth. The kids were devouring it in no time.

I served with the fruit dip above, and sliced fruit. ( For a yummy addition to sliced fruit I drizzle a little honey and lemon juice over the fruit in a bowl and toss. The fruit stays fresh and doesn't brown , not to mention the glaze tastes wonderful.)

So, don't be afraid to use what you have. You never know what you can create in terms of the atmosphere in your home, destiny in your families lives and delicious treats in your kitchen!

Blessings to you!

Coffeehouse Scones Recipe

I made these scones for breakfast last week. It has taken me this long to post them, because I kept forgetting. :)

I got the recipe from Linda at Prairie Flower Farm. http://prairieflowerfarm.blogspot.com/

Coffeehouse Scones

2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
2/3 - 3/4 cup (160 - 180 ml) buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently and form into a round that is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Use a 2 1/2 inch (6.5 cm) round biscuit cutter to cut the dough into circles. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet and brush the tops of the scones with a little milk.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Makes 6-8 scones.

Another wonderful recipe I tried tonight and it was a hit. :)This came from "Summer In the Country " from Gooseberry Patch. www.gooseberrypatch.com

Grandma Hilda's Sweet Biscuits

6 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 t. salt

3 T.plus 1 t. baking powder

3 eggs

1 c. milk

Mix together the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl: mix well. In a separate bowl, beet eggs and milk together. Add to flour mixture and blend well. Roll out on a floured surface; cut with 3-in. round cookie cutter. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-120 min., until golden. Makes 4 dozen.

I actually used a plastic cup because my cookie cutter has a smaller opening at the top and it pushed the dough through and made the biscuit smaller. I wanted thick biscuits so I didn't get 4 dozen out of this recipe. My husband said they would be great for biscuits and gravy in the morning.

This is how I have made my sausage gravy the last few times. ( note: I don't measure so it doesn't always turn out exactly the same and I am guessing here, but if you follow it and tweak it to your own liking it should turn out for you)

Sausage Gravy

1 lb. sausage

1 stick of butter

1-2 c. milk (maybe more??)

Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

1/4 c. cornstarch

cold water

Cook the sausage, season with salt and pepper. I use a lot of salt and pepper in my sausage because it is not already seasoned. You may not have to if you buy seasoned sausage.

Once the sausage is done, I add the stick of butter. When it melts I pour the milk into the sauce pan to the height I want the gravy. If I want a thick gravy I use less milk, if I want a thinner gravy I use more. :)

I heat till the milk is hot but not boiling. When I mix the cornstarch and cold water together and the pour slowly in to the milk and sausage mixture, whisking as I go. I add more salt and pepper if necessary and the red pepper flakes.

Serve over warm biscuits.

We complete the breakfast with our fresh eggs from my hens and try to have some fresh fruit as well. Whatever is in season!

Blessings to you!

Pizza and Pie

I have been lacking in the creativity department lately with my suppers. So, as my husband had decided it would be great for me to stay close to home this week to make up for my very busy May .... I decided to play in my kitchen. :)

My supper menu tonight consisted of:

Homemade Sausage Pizza, BLT Pizza and Chicken/Broccoli Alfredo Pizza
Bow-Tie Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
Rhubarb Custard Pie
Lemonade


I tend to use my bread dough for my pizza dough. Why? Because I know the recipe by heart and it's a lot easier to just throw it all together. I am not the typical measuring, check the recipe, be very specific type of cook. Nope, I just go with the flow and have fun.

Side Note: My dear grandmother was here for dinner one evening and she was talking about how her mother was an awesome cook, but she never measured or followed a recipe. The food was always good, never the same, but always good. My husband shouts, " That is what YOU do!". ha!ha! "Yes" I said," it's in the genes". :)


My bread dough recipe is as follows:

1 c. warm water
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
2-3 TB. brown sugar ( or honey)

Whisk together and let sit for 5 min. till bubbly

Add:
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. oil
3 c. flour
1 Tb. dough enhancer

Mix well and knead for 10 min. ( if this were bread I would let it rise, punch down and form and then let it rise again) With the pizza, I let it rise for 5 min. Then I divided into 3 pans, rolled out and put my toppings on. I let sit with the toppings on for about 5 min. Then bake at 400 degrees till done.

Sausage/Cheese Pizza

I made my own sauce with my canned tomato sauce and tomato paste. I added granulated garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Put sauce on pizza followed by browned sausage and cheese.


BLT Pizza

After I rolled the dough I brushed 1 TB olive oil on top.
Then layered with 1-2 c. shredded mozzarella
1-2 tomatoes sliced thin
Bacon (* tip.. I actually used bacon bits that I had... but you can cook up the bacon and crumble it on the pizza)

Bake at 375 for 10-15 min. Before serving top with :

2 c. shredded lettuce mixed with 2 TB. mayonnaise



Chicken/Broccoli Alfredo

1 chicken breast ( more if you want more) grilled and shredded or sliced
1 c broccoli florets
olive oil and granulated garlic
1-2 c. mozzarella cheese

Alfredo sauce


After rolling the dough out I brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with granulated garlic. Then I put the Alfredo sauce on top. I sprinkled the chicken and broccoli and then the shredded cheese.

Bake at 400 for 12-15 min. Maybe less, I didn't set the timer! I just kept peeking in. :)

Alfredo sauce
1 stick of butter
2 cups of milk
( I also added a little bit of heavy cream in place of the milk)
1 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded

cornstarch/water to thicken.


Melt butter and then add milk. Heat but do not boil. Add the Parmesan cheese. If it isn't as thick as you like, make a thickener with 1/4 c. cornstarch and 1-2 tsp. cold water. Whisk into the sauce.



Rhubarb Custard Pie:
I found this recipe on-line at: http://wardstreetbistro.typepad.com/wsb/2008/05/rhubarb-custard.html

Serves 6.

9" unbaked pie crust, chilled

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

4 cups diced fresh rhubarb (about 1 lb. of rhubarb)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

For the topping: Mix together the 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar and melted butter. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced rhubarb, sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and sour cream. Transfer the pie filling to the prepared pie crust. Sprinkle the topping over the pie filling.

Bake the pie on the lower-middle rack of the oven at 450° F. for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 350° F. and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes more, until the filling starts to bubble.

Let cool completely before serving. Serve room temperature or chilled

Blessings to you!

Rhubarb Recipes

I was encouraged by Linda's post at Prairie Flower Farm to share some rhubarb recipes. Yumm! We love rhubarb here at our house.



My favorite memories take me back to my grandmother's back porch with my cousin on a warm summer day. We each have a bowl of sugar and a freshly washed and cut ( well.. actually I wonder if we even washed it.) stick of rhubarb. We were in heaven and it was a nice reprieve from our play. When I tried to get my own kids to sample this delicacy from my childhood I was given some wrinkled noses and odd glances. :) Oh, well.



My mom has a wonderful cake that she makes that seems to disappear from the pan as soon as she makes it. Somehow, I find that I can't make it quite as good as my mom though. After an extended search, I found the recipe.

Donna's Rhubarb Cake

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. milk

1 stick oleo

2 1/2 c. flour

1 egg

1 tsp. soda

dash of salt

2 c. chopped rhubarb

Mix all ingredients in order given. Apply topping and bake at 350 for about 1 hour(45 min)

Topping:

Mix 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle on cake before baking. ( This is very important)

My mom always used a stainless steel 9 x 13 baking pan for this cake that came with a metal lid. When she took the cake out of the oven she put the lid on top of the pan while the cake was hot. This would cause the steam to condense and fall back on the topping. YUMMMY!

Here is another recipe my mom gave to me:

Rhubarb Custard Cake

Bottom Part:

10 T ( heaping) powdered sugar

1 c. melted butter

1 c. flour

Topping:

5 eggs

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. milk

4 c. rhubarb

cinnamon

Directions:

Blend all bottom part ingredients together like a pie crust. Spread in bottom of a 9 x 13" pan.

Add 4 cups of rhubarb

Whip up the eggs, milk, sugar and cinnamon( to taste) and pour over the rhubarb.

Sprinkle oatmeal on top to cover and a little sugar and cinnamon.

Bake at 350 for 45 min.

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp:

8 oz. strawberries

1 lb. rhubarb, diced

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. orange juice

1 c. flour

1 c. rolled oats

1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c ground almonds ( optional)

10 Tbsp. cold butter

1 egg lightly beaten

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Preheat to 350.

Combine berries, rhubarb and white sugar in a baking dish. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and Orange juice. Pour over fruit and stir gently to coat. Set baking dish aside and make topping.

Topping:

In a large bowl mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and almonds. Cut in chilled butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in eggs, spoon mixture evenly over fruit and press down. Bake until browned about 50-60 min. Serve warm.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is my favorite. If you have frozen berries that you need to use up, jam and jelly make a really nice option. The benefit of making your jam now is that you are not stuck in the middle of canning everything else in the summer. I will be making some black raspberry jelly soon, to free up some of my freezer space.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

2 c. crushed and hulled strawberries

2 c. chopped rhubarb

4 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 package regular powdered fruit pectin

5 1/2 c. sugar.

Prepare canner, jars and lids.

In a large deep stainless steel saucepan, combine berries, rhubarb, and lemon juice. Whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for one minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 " head space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 min. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 min. then remove jars, cool and store.

Enjoy! :)

Hope on over to Prairie Flower Farm to see her recipe and find more rhubarb recipes.

http://prairieflowerfarm.blogspot.com/2010/03/strawberryrhubarb-farm-pie-recipe.html


Blessings to you!

Yummy new recipes

I have been trying to bust out of boredom in the kitchen this last month, trying to find new things to try and experiment with. I love to cook, I love to create in my kitchen so this is just fun to me.

So, this week we tried 2 new recipes I loved. Slow Cooker Carnitas and Red and White Lasagna Rolls.

Rave reviews from my hubby and kids were split down the middle though. Hubby loved the Carnitas and thought the Red and White Lasagna rolls needed more sauce. ( note to self.. remember that!)

Here they are!

Red and White Lasagna Rolls

1 box of lasagna noodles
1 lb of sausage or hamburger browned with onion
Marinara or red sauce
Alfredo sauce ( see recipe below)
Mozzarella cheese
1 container of ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese


Cook noodles according to directions, set aside to cool till you can handle them safely. Mix together ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan cheese. Stir the meat into the red sauce and heat through.

Spread cheese mixture on cooked noodle, roll up and place in baking dish. ( I used a 9x13 stoneware pan).

When all your noodles are rolled and in the pan cover with the marinara/meat sauce, then pour the Alfredo sauce over the top and layer with Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-45 min. ( I will admit I have a big issue with my timer I forget to use it. I just take things out when they are done.):)

Serve with a nice salad and french bread. ( great recipe for bread in my recipe index).

We love Spinach Strawberry Salad or a nice salad with greens, cranberries, blue cheese, almonds and a yummy vinegar/oil dressing.


Alfredo Sauce

1 stick of butter
1 c. cream or whole milk
1/2 - 1 c. Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
cornstarch

Melt butter, add milk ( or cream if you have that and prefer ) with heat on med. cook till just about to boil. Add the cheese, stir as it melts. Add salt and pepper to taste, I also add garlic. Sometimes I have to make a cornstarch paste ( 1/4 cornstarch + 2 Tbsp. water) to thicken my sauce, sometimes I don't. I don't know why, but if it is too then I will thicken with cornstarch.

You can add more milk if it is too thick and heat.


Slow Cooker Carnitas.

I found this recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking : http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/ Her recipe is below and is found also at the website link above. I altered mine a bit. Her book is listed below the recipe.

The Ingredients.serves 6.
2 pounds pork shoulder
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 large orange)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 large lime)
7 cloves garlic (whole intact)
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 cup beef broth
corn tortillas
sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado (optional)

The Directions.
Use a 6 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the salt and cumin. Rub mixture all over the pork, then plop into the slow cooker. Add whole garlic cloves. Squeeze on the citrus, and pour the beef broth evenly over the top.Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the pork shreds quite easily with a fork. If your meat is still fully intact after 8 hours, remove and cut into chunks, then return to the crock and flip to high for about an hour or two.Shred meat fully and serve on warmed corn tortillas with desired toppings.The Verdict.This is so totally good. I adored the citrusy flavor of the meat, and the slight smokiness from the cumin. If you don't eat pork, try using an inexpensive chuck roast instead of the pork shoulder.

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow
by Stephanie O’Dea


My changes:

I used lemon juice instead of lime juice because that is what I had. I used less garlic and more beef broth, and flour tortillas in place of the corn tortillas.

I cooked the roast all day till it was good and done. I cut it up and shred the meat, then put it back in the crock pot to absorb the juices. I also made Spanish Rice to go with it. We put everything in the tortilla, topped with homemade salsa, sour cream and avocados ( yum). It was so good.

Spanish Rice

1 c. of rice
1 Tbsp. oil
1 1/2 c. water
1 can of tomato paste
1 onion
1 tomato
cumin and garlic( to taste)
salt and pepper.(to taste)

Saute the rice in the oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the onion, saute more. Then add the water, tomato, spices and tomato paste. Cook till rice is tender.


This is not a new recipe but I love it and made it on Sunday. Yum!


Creme Puff Dessert
Crust:
1 c. water
1 stick of butter
1 c. flour

4 eggs.

Bring the first 3 things to a boil in a sauce pan. Cook till the dough pulls away from the edge. Add eggs one at a time. Stir well. Bake for 30 min at 400. Cool completely.

Filling:
2 boxes ( or 1 large box) vanilla pudding, instant
1 package of cream cheese, softened and whipped
3 c. milk

Topping:

1 container of cool whip

Hershey's Syrup

Put into your mixer and beat well. Let it sit a bit to thicken. When the crust is cool fill with the pudding. Then top with cool whip. Let sit in refrigerator till ready to serve. When ready to serve, drizzle syrup over individual pieces. Note: I do this because when I have done it over the whole dessert in the past it has caused the consistency of the cool whip and pudding to break down and liquefy. Not so appetizing. :)

Funny quote from my son while I was making this dessert.
" Mom, are you putting that cool whip on the pudding?"
" Yes, I am " was my reply.
" oh... hmm, that's too bad. Cool whip puts the d in disgusting."

I had no reply to that comment as I was surprised with what he said. I never knew he didn't like Cool Whip. Apparently it is not just a like/dislike issue. He is too funny!

Winter Recipes

Here are some wonderful new recipes I have tried this winter.
Enjoy!

Pepper Steak


1 pound sirloin tips, cut in serving-size pieces ( or you can use left over steak)
flour, oil
1/4 cup chopped onion or minced onion
garlic powder or 1 clove of garlic
2-3 c. water
2-3 cubes of beef bullion
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
2 large green bell pepper, sliced in rings
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Cooked Rice


I used small frying steak for this. I filled a small bowl with flour and seasoned with salt and pepper then dipped each steak into the flour. Then I put the steak into a frying pan with heated oil in it. I browned the steak. ( I put them on a plate till I had each on browned nicely, but not too well-done) Then I put in 2 c. of water, 2 bullion cubes, garlic,onion, salt and pepper, stirring till bullion is dissolved. Then I added the steak and cooked till the meat was tender. ( about 20 min). Then I added the green peppers and stewed tomatoes. Bring the liquid to a boil, thicken with the corn starch and water.


* I did add more water and bullion but we really liked the gravy. It was so yummy!


Crock Pot Beef Stew
( this is my good friend Amy's recipe!)

2-3 pounds of stew meat ( or you can use left over roast, I used round steak)
1 c. celery
7-9 potatoes
3 c. carrots
1 Tbsp. sugar
1Tbsp. Salt
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of water (* from the soup can)
3 Tbsp. tapioca

Put in the crock pot, sprinkle the tapioca on top and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Note: I put this in the oven at 350 degrees for a couple of hours. It was really good and the leftovers were just as tasty.


Lasagna Soup
( this came from The Urban Homemaker's Websitehttp://www.urbanhomemaker.com/productcart/pc/home.asp)


1 lb sausage
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. diced carrots
2 Tbsp. minced garlic ( I used granulated garlic)
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. stewed tomatoes ( I have used diced tomatoes)
1 can tomato sauce
1 c. bow tie pasta
2 c. spinach, chopped
1 c. mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Opt. fresh basil OR ... add 1-2 tsp. Italian seasoning


Brown sausage. Add onions, garlic and carrots to the pan and saute 3 min. Add broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Drop in pasta and simmer until cooked, about 10 min. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Place 1/4 c. mozz. cheese into serving bowls and pour soup on top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Note: I do not usually add the spinach and I double the tomatoes and sauce and add more chicken broth because I like a thinner broth. When I make this I usually start with a large pot and then each time I serve it again I add more sauce or tomatoes to it, sometimes more pasta.


Chicken Tortilla Soup

1-2 lbs. shredded or diced chicken, cooked
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can enchilada sauce
2 c. water
1 -2 c. chicken broth

1 c. corn

1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp cilantro
1 can black beans
1 c. cooked rice
1 bay leaf

Cook till soup is heated through.

Top with Tortilla strips.

Tortilla Strips:
6 corn tortillas cut into strips.
Put into a zip lock back and add 2 T. oil. Shake till coated and then place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 10-15 min.


I have been making my chili with a home-made chili seasoning I found on Nourishing Heart Home's blog. (http://nourishinghome.blogspot.com/)


Chili

Tomato Juice
Tomato sauce
chili beans
kidney beans
seasoned hamburger
onions, green peppers and tomatoes

Chili seasoning mix

Chili Seasoning
1 Tb. flour
2 TB minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper, crushed
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin


Put it all in a big pot and heat till ready to serve. I usually have grilled cheese sandwiches. However, my mom used to make a big pot of chili and along with the chili a hamburger for each person eating ( more if they were hungry). She would put a bun on a plate, top it with a hamburger and a slice of cheese and then ladle some chili on the top of it. It was delicious!



Ham Balls

1 1/2 lb. ground ham
1 1/2 lb. ground port
1 c. milk
1 c. bread crumbs( I often use oatmeal)
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste


Make your balls and then bake at 350 for about 20-30 min. Pull out of the oven and top with the sauce and bake another 30 min.

Sauce:
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. pineapple juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp. corn starch
mustard
cloves

Put ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Pour over the meatballs.


Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Cook enough mashed potatoes for your family, or make a large pan so that you can have leftovers. DO NOT add any liquid or butter to the potatoes when you mash them

Melt cheddar cheese ( 1-2 cups), 1 c. of sour cream, 1/2-1 stick of butter.
Add some minced onion to the potatoes, the cheddar/sour cream mixture and salt and pepper.

Put in a casserole dish and bake for 30-45 min.


Crock pot Lasagna

Ok this was one of my favorite attempts at something new this winter.

I used my original Lasagna recipe and put it in my crock pot, added about 1/2 c. water to it to keep it from burning and it was delicious.

No cook Lasagna noodles
1 container of ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2-4 c. mozzarella cheese
2 cans of pasta sauce
browned hamburger

Mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan cheese.


Put 1/2 c. sauce in the bottom of the crock pot.
Layer the noodles, cheese mixture, hamburger, sauce and mozzarella cheese till you fill the crock pot. Add 1/2 - 1 c. water. Cook on low till done. ( about 6-8 hours)


Mrs Telfer's Mint Brownies

2 c. flour
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp baking soda

2 large eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk( I used 3/4)

1 c. butter
1/4 c. cocoa
1 c. water ( can also use coffee)

Topping:
3/4 c. butter, softened
2-3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. mint extract

1/2 c. butter
10 oz semisweet chocolate ( I used 1 c. of chocolate chips)


Preheat oven to 375 and grease an 11 x 17 in jelly roll pan.

Melt butter, whisk in coca and water, set aside to cool.
Put flour, sugar and baking soda in a bowl. Add the chocolate and the the eggs and buttermilk.

Bake for 12-15 min till done.


Topping:
Blend butter, sugar and extract in mixer till well blended. Spread over cooled brownies

Melt butter and chocolate together, let cook till room temp and spread over mint filling.

Christmas Cookies

In my general tradition of being absent from my blog for so long and then submitting many posts in one day.. I will continue that path. :)

Here are some of my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes!

Sour Cream Cut Out Sugar Cookies

2 c. sugar 2 tsp vanilla

Pinch of salt 1 tsp soda

1 c. butter 1 tsp baking powder

1 c. sour cream 4-5 c. flour ( more, if needed)

2 eggs

Cream sugar, salt, and shortening together. Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla; stir in soda, baking powder and flour. Roll out on a floured surface ( not very thin) ; cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake in 350 degree oven for 8-10 min or until lightly brown.

Frost with buttercream frosting. (* or your favorite)

Peppermint Candy Shortbread

1 c. butter, softened 2/3 c. crushed hard peppermint candy

1/2 c. sugar 4 oz vanilla bark coating squares

2 1/2 c. flour

Beat butter at medium speed with an electri mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add flour, beating just until blended. Divid dough into 3 equal portions. Place 1 portion of dough on an ungreased baking sheet; roll into a 6 in. circle. Scor dough into 8 triangles. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 portions of dough. Bake at 325 for 25 min. or until barely golden.

Let cool on baking sheets for 5 min. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Working very carefully, separate discs into wedges.( Very fragile.. be gentle)

Melt bark coating in top of a double boiler over water( note.. I just put it in the microwave and stir it every 30 seconds till done. Don't over cook) Carefully dip wedges into coating and then place on wax paper and then sprinkle with the crushed peppermint candies.

Andes Mint Cookies

3/4 c. butter

2 1/2 c. flour

2 Tbsp water

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. brown sugar

salt

2 c. chocolate chips

2 eggs

lg. box of Andes mints, unwrapped

Melt over low heat or in microwave ~ butter, water and brown sugar. Add chocolate chips until melted. Cool . Add eggs, one at a time, beat well. Add flour, soda, and salt. Chill dough one hour. Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 8 min at 350. Cookies will be soft. Remove from oven and place a mint on each cookie while still hot. Remove from pan when mints melt. Spread mint like frosting over cookies.

Snowballs

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 c. butter softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. chopped pecans

powdered sugar

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 c. sugar, salt and butter; mix well. Add vanilla extract. Gradually stir in flour. Work nuts into dough. Chill well. Form into 1-in. balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 min. or until set, but not brown. Roll in powdered sugar immediately. Cool on rack. Roll in powdered sugar again. Store in airtight container. ( Note: These freeze very well. I usually make them first and freeze them. I just pull them out of the freezer and put them on the plate when I want to give them away or use them.)

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

bowl of sugar

chocolate stars(* we prefer these to Hershey's kisses, but you can do what you prefer)

Mix together 1st 5 ingredients; then add remaining flour and mix until you form a sticky dough. Roll into balls , then into sugar. Place on cookie sheets, bake for 8 min. Place a chocoate star on top, bake for 1-2 min more. Take out and let cool on wire racks.

Fudge

3 c. sugar

1/4 c. butter

1 can evaporated milk

( NOT sweetened condensed milk.. I have learned the hard way)

1 pkg of chocolate chips

1 jar marshmallow creme

1 tsp vanilla

Line pan with foil (* if you desire) extending over sides. I use a jelly roll pan for my fudge.

Place sugar, butter and evapporated milk in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil on med. heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degreees (* soft ball stage), stirring constantly to avoid scorching.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme, stir until completely melted. Add nuts if desired, and vanilla. Mix well

Pour into pan, spread evenly and let stand at room temp. till cooled. I will often put this in a cool or cold room (* my porch or laundry room) . Cut and serve!

I try to keep my fudge on the soft side, that is the way we like it. My Aunt Linda has perfected the art of making fudge and this is the recipe she has given me. The last time I made it I was given a thumbs up and a rating of " almost as good as Aunt Linda's". ha! ha! I'll never make it quite as good as she does, but one day I'll be close.